Sheet-feeding mechanism



sHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM gg J I I 66 Q7 49 629039@ Zlap'o June 6, 1939. G. A. BABlcz SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. l0, 1958 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z n@ 7 5 w 7 Q 5 3 M r/ wu M/ im] @ff O O 0000 O 5% 000 0 O O 7 l||| l .H Vl Ni 1 riil N@ Pme w/ 1, M i y 1 JW I u l l l Il .---1 |t||||||v f l :I ||||1|n| 3 w 1 l! m il ik 111I| 3. w/ W z w, will --.l i w n0 -,.Ht H IM J I|:| 1 NH 11.133331www3NwMUMWHWJMmMHzIlJ E E @W -H l 1 l "u E l O O 0 oo 0 o\\0o o O fraz/wr: 060%@ June 6, 1939. G, A, BABlCz 2,161,124

I SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 1o, 1938 s sheets-sheet s @202:96 @czj Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEV SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM tion of Illinois Application January 10, 1938, Serial No. 184,212

6 Claims.

by printing, folding and gluing operations into completed envelopes.

Prior to my present invention, three different types of feeding mechanisms have been employed as adjuncts to envelope-making machines. Since l machines of this character have been developed and perfected to a point where they are run at an approximate speed of 300 envelopes per minute, the mechanism which feeds the blanks to such machines must be very accurate and reliable in operationand capable of running continuously at these high speeds. It is highly desirable, also, that the machines operate continuously and without stopping for prolonged periods, because each time an envelope machine is stopped troubles arise such as drying of the glue on the applicators, drying of the ink on the rolls if a printing operation is involved, liability to a jam occurring in the machine as the result of stopping While some envelopes remain in the machine, and in any event, the time lost from production -at each stoppage of one of these high speed machines adds materially to the production cost of an order being run.

One type of feed mechanism employed heretofore in conjunction with envelope' machines is known as a bottom feed type. In this type, the sheets or blanks are stacked in a magazine and are fed in succession from the bottom thereof The height of the stack of blanks in the magazine is necessarily limited, however, because if too many blanks are stacked their weight interferes with the separation of the lowermost blanks from the stack. The operator, therefore, is required to add a small number of blanks at a'time to the top. of the stack, and when a machine is running at 300 per minute, one operator is kept busy replenishing the stack of envelopes with a small number at a time.

Another type of feed employed in connection with envelope making machines is known as the fan feed in which the blanks are fanned out upon an inclined table from which they are fed in succession, the topmost and farthest extended or fanned blank being separated from the remainder and fed to the machine at each operation. This type of feed, however, requires that the supply of blanks on the table be replenished by lifting the rear edge of the fanned out stack and inserting a small quantity of additional blanks be- 5 neath those already on the table. This manner of supplying the blanks also requires practically all of one operators time when the machine is running.

A third type of feeding mechanism is known as the top feed type in which a quantity of envelopes is stacked and from the top of which they are fed in succession. The stack in this type is gradually fed upwardly as the envelopes are removed from the top thereof `until the entire stack has been delivered to they machine. When this has occurred, however, the machine must be stopped while the stack is being replenished, and such stoppage results not only in loss of production during the time required to replenish the stack, but almost inevitably additional loss because of some impairment of the machine which is occasioned by the stop.

One of the primary purposes of my present invention is to overcome the objections above in- 25 dicated to the envelope feeding mechanism at present in use by providing a mechanism which will operate to supply blanks continuouslyto an envelope-making machine without stoppage for replenishment of the stack and which will utilize -a stack of such size that replenishment is necessary only at prolonged intervals, therefore leaving the operator free during the interim for other duties. In fact, instead of requiring one operator for each machine, as has been necessary heretofore, my present invention will enable one operator to attend to several machines, thereby not only reducing the cost of necessary labor but also increasing the production of the machines themselves; since they are able to operate continuously without stoppage for replenishment purposes.

Other objects and advantages of my invention should be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of my 50 invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1:

4 Fig. 3 is a rear plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown inl Fig. 1; 55

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing particularly the operation of the pick-off or separating device.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, it will be understood that the mechanism here disclosed is designed as an adjunct or attachment to an envelope-making machine of any preferred type, the forward or feed-in end of which includes a carrier or chain conveyor 6 by which the blanks or sheets are conveyed to the operating mechanisms of the envelope machine. vThe details of construction of such a machine are immaterial so far as the present invention is concerned, and only the conveyor and a portion of the frame 1 of the machine are here illustrated.

My present invention is concerned more particularly with what is known as the top-feed type of mechanism, which has been above referred to in a general way, and such mechanism comprises, as exemplified in Fig. 5, a pneumatic sucker or separator 8 connected through a conduit 9 with a source of vacuum or partial vacuum, the separator being carried by an arm II fixed upon a shaft I2 which is mounted in suitable supporting arms I3. The shaft I2 is oscillated'to move the head of -the sucker 8 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 against the upper surface of the topmost sheet of the stack I4 to the dotted line position shown in this figure in which the edge of the sheet has been moved into position to .be grasped by the feed rolls I 5 and fed thereby over the guide I6 onto the conveyor 6. Positioning of the blanks upon the conveyor is assisted by the guide roll I1 carried by a plvoted arm I8 which is urged toward the conveyor 6 by a spring' 'I'he shaft I2 is actuated to move the sucker 8 from the full to the dotted line position of Fig. 5 by cam 2| (Fig. 1) operating upon a follower 22 to move the link 23 to the left viewing Fig. 1, thereby, through the arm 24 xed on the shaft, rocking the shaft I2 in a counter-clockwise direction. Reverse movement of the shaft is produced by a tractile spring 25 connected at one end with the link 23 and at its other with the spectively, all rigidly connected together to formv a suitable supporting frame structure. The sheets or blanks are disposed on edge upon these rods 21, as will be apparent from Fig. 5, and they are supported in this inclined position by a plate 32 which is removably positioned in a holding slot 33 of a pair*l of blocks 34, which blocks are ,slidably mounted upon and guided by rods 35 extending longitudinally of. the frame. These blocks guided upon the rods are connected with and operable by the upper laps of a pair of chains 36, the upper ends of which are trained over sprockets 31, each xed by a pin 38 to a transversely extending shaft 39 at the top of the frame. The lower end of each chain 36 is trained over a sprocket wheel 4I rotatably mounted upon Y the plate 32 upwardly in successive short movements as the topmost sheets are delivered to the machine.

The mechanism for feeding the stack of blanks upwardly in conformity with the removal of the topmost blanks therefrom will now be explained. Shaft 39 to which the sprocket wheels 31 are xed carries a worm wheel 44 rotatably mounted thereon which meshes with and is driven by a companion worm 45 on a shaft 46 provided with a ratchet wheel 41 adapted to be intermittently operated by an oscillatory pawl 48 carried by a block 49 journalled on the shaft 46 and connected with a link 5I provided at its upper end with an elongated eye 52 in which is disposed a crankpin 53 rotatable with the shaft upon which the cam 2I is mounted. The link 5I will drop by gravity to move the pawl 48 in a clockwise direction relatively to the ratchet wheel 41 and will be lifted to thereby rotate the ratchet wheel in a counter-clockwise direction as the crankpin 53 travels upwardly in its revolution. Each actuation of ratchet wheel 41 will impart a slight rotary movement through worm 45 and worm wheel 44 to the shaft 39, thereby moving the blocks 34 and the plate 32 carried thereby slightly upwardly so as to correspondingly elevate the. stack ol blanks.

To control the upward feeding of the stack of blanks and prevent the same from being elevated too much, I have provided the following control mechanism. A bar 54 is suspended from.a bracket 55 so that its lower end is normallydisposed above and in the path of travel of an extension 56 from the block 49. When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rotation of the block 49 in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, under the influence of the weight of the link 5I is precluded, since the extension 56 will abut against the end of bar 54. So long as the parts remain in this position, no elevation of the stacked blanks will take place. When elevation of the stack of blanks, however, is necessary in order to bring the uppermost blank into proper relation with the sucker head 8, the bar 54 is moved out of the path of the extension 56 to permit actuation of ratchet wheel 41 in the manner previously described. With this end in view, the bar 54 is provided with a laterally projecting pin 51 extending through an eye 58in a link 59 connected to an arm 6I fixed on shaft I2.

The extent of rotative movement of the shaft I2 in a clockwise direction viewing Figs, 1 and 5 under the inuence of spring 25 is limited at each actuation by contact of the sucker head 8 with the topmost blank in the stack I4. When the height of the stack is normal, the rotation of shaft I2 will be stopped before abutment screw 62 carried by link 59 engages the pin 51. When the height of the stack has been lowered, however, by removal of the topmost blanks until the sucker head travels to an abnormally depressed position, the link 59 will be swung to the left viewing Fig. 1 suiliciently to displace the-bar 54 from the path of block extension 5B by reason of engagement of abutment screw 52 with-pin 51. Block 49 will therefore be permitted to swing in a clockwise direction about its axis under the inuence of the link 5I which upon upward movement of crankpin 53 will rotate shaft 48, thereby 'partially rotating shaft 39 to feed the supporting plate 32 upwardly, thereby elevating the stack of blanks. In this, manner the blanks are intermittently fed upwardly so as to maintain the topmost blank at substantially a predetermined level and in position to be separated from the stack by the sucker 8.

'Ihe Worm wheel 44, as has been stated, is rotatably mounted on shaft39 and driving connection between this wheel and the shaft is established through a clutch comprising a member 83 splined on the end of shaft 39 and a companion clutch member 64 formed integrally with or rigidly connected to the worm wheel 44 and having clutch teeth adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the clutch member 63, as illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby rotation of worm wheel 44 will impart a similar rotation to the shaft 39. The clutch member 84 comprises also a sprocketl wheel 65 which is connected by a chain 66 with a companion sprocket wheel 81 fixed upon a sleeve 68 surrounding the outwardly projecting end of shaft 42. The outer end of this sleeve is equipped with clutch teeth adapted for cooperative engagement with companion teeth formed on a clutch member-89 splined to the end of shaft 42. Clutch operating bell crank levers 'II and I2 mounted on brackets 'I3 and I4 respectively are connected by an operating link 'I5 which in turn is operated from a bell crank lever 18 by means of a manually operable link or rod 'I1 having a hand grip 18 disposed in position accessible to the operator.

It will be apparent from Fig. 3 that the controlling mechanisms for the two clutches are so constructed that the clutches become operative or inoperative in alternation only. Thus, when shaft 39 is clutched to worm wheel 44 to be driven thereby, shaft 42 will be unclutched from the sleeve 68 which will simply turn idly under the influence of chain 88. Similarly, when shaft 39 is disconnected or unclutched from Worm wheel 44, shaft 42 will be clutched or connected to said wheel to be driven thereby. I'he purpose of driving shafts 39 and 42 in alternation will now be explained.

Shaft 42 has fixed thereon by pins 'I9 and v8| a pair of sprocket wheels 82 and 83 respectively, and chains 84 trained over these sprocket wheels also are trainedover sprocket wheels 85 and 86 rotatably mounted upon shaft 39.

The chains 84 have driving connections with blocks 81 and 88 which slide upon bars or rods 89 similar to the rods 35. The blocks 81 and 88 are slotted similar to the blocks 34 for the reception of a second supporting plate 9| similar in struchead 8 and associated mechanisms is being carried on. The shaft 39 is at this time clutched to worm wheel 44 so that through chains 38 the plate 32 will be gradually elevated to raise the stack of blanks I4 as thetop ones are fed off. During the continuation of the feeding operation' an additional supply of blanks is stacked upon the plate 9I, such stack being indicated by reference character 92, which stack may be extended upwardly almost to the plate 32. The shaft 42 -which is unclutched from the drive worm wheel 44 is then turned manually by means'of the hand wheel 93 to bring the top of stack 92 up' against the lower'iace of plate 32. Clutch control r'od 'II is now pulled to the left viewing Fig. 3 unclutching shaft 39 from worm wheel 44 and clutching shaft42 to said worm Wheel. Plate 32 is now withdrawn from blocks 34 permitting the remaining blanks in stack I4 to rest uponand be supported upon the top of stack 92 which is then fed upwardly by the automatic driving and control mechanism previously described lso as to maintain the top of the stack in proper position for the feeding of the topmost blanks by the pneumatic sucker head. I

The operator need give no further attention to the feed until the stack 92 has' approached a point of exhaustion whereupon, through the hand wheel 94, the shaft 39 is turned to lowerthe blocks 34 to the lower vend of the frame where the supporting plate 32 is reinserted in the block grooves. A new stack of blanks may then be placed upon the plate 32, its top in turn is brought up against the lower face of plate 9| whereupon the clutches are again reversed, the plate 9| is removed, and the automatic feeding and elevation of the blanks proceeds.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my invention provides for the loading of new stacks of blanks into the feeding mechanism without interfering with the feeding'of the preceeding blanks. The feeding proceeds continuously, since the lower blanksin one stack become the upper blanks in the next succeeding stack. No stoppage of the machine is required in progressing from one stack of blanks to the next, and the machine enables the loading of such a large stack at one time that reloading is required only infrequently. The operator is therefore relieved from .continuous reloading in small numbers and is free for other duties, such, for instance, as attending to va number of machines equipped with my improved invention instead of being required to devote his entire attention to one machine as heretofore.

The details of construction shown and described are, it should be understood, merely illustrative and may be varied within considerable limits without exceeding the scope of my invention, as defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a sheet feeding mechanism. the combination of an inclined frame structure, transversely extending shafts mounted at the upper and lower ends respectively of said structure. two sets of sprocket wheels mounted on each shaft, chains connecting the sprocket Wheels of each set on the respective shafts, the sprocket wheels of one set being fixed to the upper shaft and the sprocket wheels` of the other set being iixed to the lower shaft, a plurality of stack-supporting plates, each plate being' detachably mounted on one set of chains and free from the other set of chains, mechanism for rotating said shafts, and means for selectively connecting said mechanism with said shafts in alternation to thereby elevate one or the other of said stacksupporting plates.

2. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a frame structure, a pair of shafts journalled thereon in spaced relation, a pair of sprocket wheels fixed on each shaft, a pair of sprocket wheels loosely mounted on each shaft, chains connecting each fixed sprocket wheel on one a pair of sprocket wheels loosely mounted upon eachshaft, chains encircling each ilxed sprocket wheel on one shaft and a loosely mounted sprocket wheel on the other shaft to provide a plurality of chain bonveyors, one operable from one of said shafts and the other operable from the other of said shafts, a stack-supporting plate removably mounted upon each conveyor, and mechanism for operating said shafts in alternation.

4. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of a pair of parallel spaced-apart shafts, hand wheels for manually rotating said shafts, a pair of sprocket wheels xed on each shaft, a

pair of l sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on each shaft, chains connecting the fixed sprocket wheels on each shaft with the rotatable sprocket wheels on the other shaft, a stack-supporting plate detachably mounted on each pair of chains, driving mechanism for said shafts, and

clutch mechanism for selectively connecting said shafts in alternation only with said driving mechanism.

5. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of an inclined frame, rotatable shafts mounted respectively in the upper and lower portions oi' said frame, stack elevating devices operable respectively by said shafts, and mechanism for actuating said shafts in alternation to thereby operate saidelevating devices in alternation.

6. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination of an inclined frame, rotatable shafts mounted respectively in the upper and lower portions of said frame, stack elevating devices vlncluding fast and loose sprocket wheels on each shaft, chains connecting said sprocket wheels and removable stack supports associated with said chains, and means for alternately driving said shafts to thereby actuate said elevating devices in alternation.A

GEORGE A, BABICZ. 

